My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiché, Guatemala. Life in this state is very difficult and somewhat isolated from the outside world. Most families live in one-room adobe houses with dirt floors and a small, attached kitchen. The extremely poor live in houses made of corn stalks. In the past few years electricity and water have become available to most people in the area - however, indoor plumbing is very rare. Most of the families are farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value. Life in Quiché is always a challenge.

Hello, I want to tell you that I am so happy to be able to greet you today and tell you a little bit about myself through Living Water. My name is Alan Jaziel Gutierrez Tzoy. I was born on February 19, 2016, in Zacualpa, Quiche, Guatemala, and I am already 10 years old. I live with my parents and one sister. I am very happy to tell you that, by the grace of God, my family and I are in good health. My father is Oscar Ruben Gutierrez Gutierrez. He works both as a farmer and as a day laborer five days a week, and thankfully, he provides for our needs. My mother is Juana Margdalena Tzoy Velasquez. She is a housewife and embroiders napkins to sell. Furthermore, she also raises hens to sell. I love seeing my parents support each other to move our family forward. I am so happy to say that my family and I are members of the Catholic Church.

I am doing well at school, and I am in fourth grade. My hobby is playing football. My favorite color is blue, and my favorite animal is the dog. I tell you, I once tasted breaded shrimp, and I loved it. Luckily, we live on our own property, and it is a humble house. The house has two adobe rooms with a tin sheet roof and a rustic cement floor and a kitchen. We have running water and electricity; the water is a yearly payment, and the electricity is a monthly payment. For now, our greatest needs are groceries and clothes. It is a great blessing for me to be enrolled in the feeding program. I get there by walking in 45 minutes or in twenty minutes by car. My sister and I attend alongside one of my cousins. This is all for now, but feel free to ask for more information about me. I pray God will bless you today and every day!

With all my love,

Alan Jaziel Gutierrez Tzoy

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez, A-A-C Secretary-Antigua